Corrections_Today_Winter_2025-2026_Vol.87_No.4

CORRECTIONAL CHAPLAIN PERSPECTIVES

Interacting in their meet ings, I witness PRAC working to keep their members in formed on legislative changes, criminal justice reforms and resources that impact incar cerated individuals and staff. Their community engagement increases residents’ and volun teer awareness surrounding our challenges and issues to foster greater understanding. Our partnership has strengthened me, my staff and the incarcerated population. I remain thankful for the relationship and look forward to future endeavors.”

Interfaith Prison Partnership, Sharon Griest Ballen, MSW, LCSW, of IPP and PRAC, and NYS Commissioner Dan Mar tuscello for their unwavering commitment to rehabilitation through these initiatives.”

It takes a community to heal a prison and it takes a prison to heal a community. As many of us know, when we heal others, we heal ourselves.

Interfaith Prison Partnership has started another initiative that brings the community together to honor the people who died while incarcer ated. IPP has worked closely with Deacon Cliff Calanni, the Coordinat ing Chaplain at Taconic Correctional Facility, to plan this program. As Deacon Calanni explains,

The Adopt-a-Prison concept and engaging a community through an organization like PRAC has taken root in six places in Africa, and two in Pakistan. As one of the coordi nators in Africa said, “It takes a community to heal a prison and it takes a prison to heal a community. As many of us know, when we heal others, we heal ourselves. People in all countries benefit by helping each other become the best version of ourselves. We have experienced that here, in Africa, in Pakistan. Frankly, given that 95% of people who enter prison eventually come out of prison, it is in our best interest that they come out prepared to get a job, be able to pay for a home, and get in volved in helping their community. We work to build that bridge.” Perhaps the NYS Commissioner of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Daniel F Martuscello III, said it best when he said,

“At the Taconic Correc tional Facility in Bedford Hills, NY lies a cemetery of men, women and children who died in prison and were not claimed by family or friends. Each year the community, comprised of many differ ent faith traditions, rallies together to commemorate all those who are buried at the cemetery. We conduct a solemn interfaith service followed by a special blessing of the gravesites, letting approxi mately 100 souls know that they are not forgotten. With the strong community support of PRAC (Prison Relations Advisory Committee), IPP (Interfaith Prison Partner ship) and local churches, the New York State Department of Corrections and Commu nity Supervision takes this Annual All Souls’ Day ser vice, and honoring these souls, very seriously.”

To our knowledge, The Town of Bedford is the only municipality in the country which has established a town committee to represent the issues related to correctional facili ties. As the current Supervisor of the Town of Bedford, Ellen Calves, has said, “Bedford is an Adopt a-Prison Town”. Furthering that sentiment, NYS Senator Shelley B. Mayer explains,

“The Adopt-a-Prison pro gram and the Prison Relations Advisory Committee (PRAC) are powerful examples of how meaningful change can occur when people experience a sense of community and purpose during their incarceration. I have seen firsthand how such partnerships between the com munity and people in prison offer meaningful and unique opportunities that can trans form lives. I commend Dr. Hans Hallundbaek, founder of the

“As Commissioner of DOCCS, I have had the privilege of witnessing the

Winter 2025-2026 | Corrections Today

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